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Van Dorm Realty Welcomes You To Thurston County!

As the Broker of Van Dorm Realty, Inc., I would like to take a minute to acquaint you with our unique and beautiful county.

Our family has lived in Thurston County since 1979, having previously lived in Southern California where Marjorie and I grew up. Like you, we investigated every city that interested us around the West Coast. Actually, we decided to live in Olympia after we toured the entire Western United States for two months. Our family has toured as far east as Denver, Colorado, and as far south as New Mexico on a circular route.

Our main objective of these travels was to find a better place to raise our children. We have three children, the oldest was about eleven years old at the time. These last years have proved to be the answer of our dreams for my wife, children and myself as well. Olympia has been the right choice for us and we sincerely hope that it will be the right choice for you also.

In the remainder of this letter, I have tried to describe for you the Thurston County community while also making an attempt to answer some of the many questions you may have.

The population of Thurston County is approximately 270,000 more than double than when we first arrived in 1979. Rapid growth is a testament to our desirability and strong economic base. Despite this fact, the ecology is very important to all of us in the Olympia/Thurston county area. Even with this growth we make every effort to keep our ecology intact. Thurston County is a collage of snow capped mountain ranges, lakes and salmon hatching rivers and streams. We have a multitude of properties on the Puget Sound waterways. Having a great place to live is our most important concern.

The quality of life in Thurston County is outstanding. It is less frustrating than that of a big city while being aesthetically appealing. Hunting and fishing can be only moments away. For "Big City" entertainment, Seattle is only a little over an hour away.

One of the many positive reasons for choosing Thurston County is that it does not have any depressed economic areas like many cities have. Truly, almost any area of this county can be considered a "good" area in which to live. Naturally, as in every city, there are some areas thought to be better than others.

The rainfall and climate of our area is moderate, with an annual rainfall of about 50 inches per year. October through May is our "rainy" period. Summertime is the best time of all with warm, sunny days and twilight up until 10 PM! On the whole, it helps to like moderate temperatures. On an average, our temperatures are as follows:

January Low 34° F, High 46° F

April Low 38° F, High 59° F

July Low 51° F, High 77° F

October Low 40° F, High 60° F

It rarely snows within the county, but wonderful nationally renowned ski areas are only a short drive away.

If you are looking for a 100 acre farm or a five acre home site, lakefront, bay side or just a house in town, come to Olympia. We're the best buy in comparison to most areas.

We hope this information has been helpful to you getting a realistic view of our county. We look forward to meeting and welcoming you to our community.